20 Loop 0, Part 20

I held aloft my illuminated marble as I walked into Thane’s classroom. The desks were empty, and the practice dummies had been shoved into their corner. For some reason, Monday’s lesson was still on the blackboard, the chalk diagram for [Access Ward] half-erased where Thane had given up on cleaning it.

I knelt beside the podium, on the ground where Flag was: third from the left, second row back. [Soul Sense] had activated on its own as I came close, so I could see him even in the low light of the room. I placed my hand flat on the ward above his stone and pushed a thread of mana into it, just enough to open the link.

Hey, Flag, I said.

He took his time answering.

Lazlo? Oh, hello, Lazlo. I was having the most wonderful nap. You know, nobody’s stepped on me since yesterday. I think he’s learned. Or maybe he forgot I was here. Either way, it’s been absolutely lovely. Is it a holiday?

No. My ward’s still active, so nobody could step on you even if they wanted to.

Oh, that’s brilliant, though I was hoping it was a holiday. Holidays mean no boots. Do you know how many boots walk across me on a normal day? Forty. I count every time. Forty boots. That’s twenty people who could have chosen any other tile to step on, but they chose me.

I laughed at the exuberant stone.

Flag, I need your help.

The warmth pulsed once and went still. His sleepy chatter dropped away, and when Flag spoke again, he was eager.

Okay. What do you need?

I need you to come with me. I need your help blocking a door.

A door? Like last time, when I knocked over the loud man?

Close. Except this time, it matters more than anything has ever mattered before.

Oh. Oh, well, yes, then. Absolutely, yes, I’d be happy to help you. I am very good at blocking things, Lazlo. I’m a stone. It’s literally what I was made to do. Let’s go immediately.

Unfortunately, Flag could only hold one enchantment at a time. An object his size didn’t have the capacity for two. I needed him warded at the infirmary, not here, so I cancelled [Access Ward] and cast [Move].

[Move — Enchantment]

Cost: 20 mana.

Enchants a solid object to follow the caster at a set distance.

Duration: until dispelled.

Flag lifted from the floor with a soft grinding sound, dust falling from his edges. He wobbled once, twice, and then steadied. He hovered at knee height.

Whoa, I’m flying, Lazlo, I’m flying! This is so wonderful. I can see the tops of the desks. I’ve never seen the tops of the desks before. Take me over to that one.

Flag, we don’t have time for this. Come on.

Is that a window? I’ve heard about windows. Can I see it?

Flag.

Right. Yes. Door. Important. Let’s go.

Popo was waiting for us in the corridor. She took in the floating flagstone, then me.

“Don’t,” I said.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

“It’s a rock, Lazlo.”

“He’s a flagstone. And he’s sensitive.”

I like her. She seems nice. A bit judgy, but nice.

Didn’t you say that about Sara?

The infirmary stood ahead of us, two stories of pale stone with lit windows on the ground floor. It was the only building on campus that still had lights on. [Wideview] opened the inside to me, and I was right: The front desk was empty, but two guards in government robes stood at the far end, outside a closed door.

I stopped at the corner, and Popo drew up beside me.

“Two guards,” I said. “They’re definitely Creed’s people. Do you have a plan?”

“You’ll know it when you hear it. Get ready to run.”

She walked toward the infirmary entrance at an easy pace, nothing in her stride to mark her as anything but a normal fourth-year checking on a friend. The guards watched her come and turned back to their conversation.

I pressed against the wall with Flag hovering beside me. In [Wideview], Popo crossed the main corridor toward the guards and stopped ten feet short. Her mouth moved, and [Subtitle] pulled the words to me.

“Hi. I need to get inside.”

“Ma’am, this wing is restricted. No visitors.”

“I’m not visiting. I left my bag in one of the examination rooms this afternoon.”

“There’s no bag in there.”

“It’s a small bag. You probably missed it.”

“Ma’am, nobody is allowed past this point.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Popo’s voice had taken on a quality I recognized. She was a great actress; I almost believed the desperation in it. “It’s very important. I have a paper due tomorrow morning. I’m going to fail if I don’t have it.”

The taller guard looked at the shorter one. “Just let her check, Jasper.”

“Louis, the orders said nobody.”

“It’s just a small bag, I promise.”

“The orders didn’t say ‘nobody except people with bags,’ Louis. The orders said nobody.”

“It’ll only take, like, ten seconds.”

“And if somebody asks, what do I say? Oh, we let a student through because she lost her bag? That’s how careers end, Louis. That’s how people get reassigned to border patrol.”

“Dude, it’s just a student with a bag. Chill. It’s not like she’s a security breach. I mean, look at her.”